


More Than Just A Wingman

by QuarkInShiningArmour



Series: Lecturers in Scotland AU [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Minor Bruce Banner/Thor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2018-10-20
Packaged: 2019-08-05 00:31:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16357184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuarkInShiningArmour/pseuds/QuarkInShiningArmour
Summary: Sam is helping Steve look for potential partners at a bar, which Steve might have appreciated, if it weren't for the fact that the only person he wanted to be with was standing right next to him.





	More Than Just A Wingman

**Author's Note:**

> My first Sam/Steve fic!! I've been meaning to write this for ages, wish me luck!
> 
> This is set in the 'night out' chapter of Windy Cities and Faulty Electronics, but not from Thor's point of view. I wrote this bc I've got major writer's block for that fic, so I thought I'd have a go at something related.

Steve watched as Sam’s eyes traced back and forth across the bar, looking for someone to set Steve up with.  They could have been beautiful, fascinating people for all Steve knew; he couldn’t tear his eyes from Sam. 

It was one thing to be in love with one of your best friends, but quite another to have that same person that you were in love with offer to be your wingman.  _How did I get myself here?_ Steve thought, despairing at the situation he had gotten himself into.

“What about that woman over there with her hair up?  I saw her looking over here a second ago, she might be interested.”

Shaking his head, Steve tried to come up with a reason why not.

“She’s talking with her friends, I don’t wanna disturb her night out.” 

Sam gave him a disbelieving smile.

“Have you seen yourself?” He shook his head.  “A little bit of attention from a cool, American gentleman like you would _make_ her night, not ruin it.”  Steve made himself still look cheerful, but it was difficult to hear Sam complimenting him knowing that it was for the purposes of convincing him to go out with other people. Continuing to scan the bar, Sam nodded his head towards their colleagues, who were sitting by the window.  “The new physics lecturer’s good looking, you thought about him?”

“Who, Thor?”  Sam nodded.  Steve raised his eyebrows, trying to think of a new excuse.  The first thing that came to mind was that he didn’t want to date someone he worked with, but seeing as how he worked with Sam as well, he couldn’t find it in himself to say that.  “Have you heard the way he talks about Bruce?  I think there’s something going on between them.” 

“Bruce Banner?” Sam looked surprised.  “Is he even into guys?”  Steve shrugged.

“I don’t know but Thor won’t stop talking about him.”  Steve’s tone wasn’t judgmental; he would Thor’s excitement endearing.  “And Bruce seems to like him too, but I’m not sure in what way.  Thor’s not really my kinda man, anyway.”  He willed himself not to blush as Sam looked at him intently, trying to suss him out.

“Okay,” Sam raised his hands in defeat.  “What is your kinda man?”  _You’re my kinda man._ Steve had only recently come out to Sam as bi, so this was new territory for them. “Now, I know your kinda woman is the sort that can kick your ass.”  Steve had to silently agree to that, thinking of Peggy. “No offense, but I’m pretty sure Thor could also kick your ass, so I’m guessing that that means your type is different for guys.”

Steve gave a small sigh, trying to avoid answering.

“You don’t have to help me find a partner, Sam.”

“You know, before tonight I might have agreed with you, but I’ve just pointed out over five really good-looking people and you’ve been too chicken to go and speak to any of them.  Besides, you’ve never dated a guy before, you need an expert to show you the ropes.”  Sam gave him a toothy smile and Steve felt his stomach flip.  He wasn’t seeing anyone at the moment, but Sam had been out and proud in all the years he’d known Steve, he’d been one of the reasons Steve had felt comfortable thinking more about his own sexuality.  “And you said yourself that you were ready to start dating again.” 

 _It was you I was thinking of when I said that,_ Steve replied in his head. 

“So, what do you look for in a guy?”  Sam’s tone was no longer joking, he was asking in earnest, in a tone that suggested he really wanted to know.  Steve hesitated before he answered, trying to think of something he could say that wasn’t far from the truth.

“A nice smile.”  It was difficult to try and think of another answer when Sam was giving him that open, gap-toothed smile.  “I like a guy who’s kind, who doesn’t hide how he’s feeling.”  He thought of the irony of saying that given his own situation.  “Someone with a good sense of humour.”

Something in Sam’s expression had changed.  It was like his eyes had gone darker and stopped looking at Steve’s surface; they were looking into him.  He was still smiling, but it wasn’t quite the playful grin he was used to, it was fond and softer.  Part of Steve wanted to look away, but his eyes stayed locked onto Sam’s. 

“But I guess it’s difficult to tell those things about a person just by looking at them from across a bar,” Steve joked, trying to relieve the atmosphere that he had created.  Sam nodded.

“Anything else you look for?”  Sam’s tone was lower than it had been a second before.  Shrugging bashfully, Steve only added one other thing to the list, finally admitting to himself that he was just listing things that he loved about Sam.

“Someone supportive.”

“If I didn’t know any better,” Sam started slowly. “I’d say I was your dream guy.”  Steve felt his heart catch in his throat.  He could tell form Sam’s tone that he was trying to joke, but the lowness of his voice told him that Sam had figured it out.

 _It’s gotta be now,_ Steve thought, feeling a rush of adrenaline.  _I’ve got to tell him how I feel._

“Sam, I –“

A mighty crash interrupted Steve’s confession.  He looked to his right to find a very drunk Thor, who had just tipped and fallen on the floor.  Thor jumped up like a shot, as though nothing had happened.

“Are you okay there, Thor?” Sam asked, his hand on Thor’s shoulder. 

“Hmm?”  Thor seemed dazed, but he was smiling in a way that didn’t quite reach his eyes.  “Yes, I’m more than well, thank you, Wilson.” 

“Call me Sam.”  He smiled at Thor, his demeanour growing lighter as though their previous conversation had never happened.  _The moment’s gone,_ Steve thought to himself.

“Sam,” Thor said as though trying out the name on his mouth.  “You’re an engineering professor, are you not?” 

“I’m not quite a professor yet, but yeah, I’m an aeronautical engineer.”  Thor nodded, knowingly.

“Bruce Banner has a PhD in engineering, I think.”  Sam shot Steve a grin as if to say _you were right about Thor,_ and for a second it was normal and easy between the two of them again.  Thor chuckled, oblivious.  “But then again, what doesn’t he have a PhD in?”

“Art history,” Sam replied.  “I think Steve’s got an edge on him there.”

He grinned, eyes shining as he spoke, and Steve could almost swear there was something almost _flirty_ about the way he said it.

Thor seemed to ignore Sam, out of drunkenness rather that lack of politeness, and ploughed on.

“I was about to go to the supermarket to buy some bubble-gum, a creepy old man by the bar said he could blow the biggest bubbles and I’m sure I can out-do him.”  Thor seemed very serious, despite the subject matter.  “Would either of you like anything from the shop?”

“I’m fine, thanks, Thor.”  Steve said.  Thor leant on the bar, wobbling, as he waited for Sam’s response.

“You know what, Thor, I think I better come with you,” Sam said, surprising Steve.  He held Thor by the arm, steadying him as they left the bar.  Thor gave a cheerful wave as they walked away.

At the bar by himself, Steve was left alone with his thoughts. 

Sam knew how he felt.  He’d finally figured it out, Steve was sure of it, and just as he had understood, he had left.  That had to be a bad sign. 

He thought about what his options were for when he next saw Sam.  It was always possible that he could deny the meaning of his words, but Steve wasn’t comfortable with deceiving his friend any longer, and it felt cowardly to deny something they both knew to be true.

 _We could still be friends_ , Steve wondered.  One of the things he loved about Sam was how understanding he could be, he felt sure that if he asked only for friendship, Sam would take him at face value.  _But it wouldn’t be right_ , he thought, _it wouldn’t be right to act like that was all I wanted.  Not any more._

Images flashed through Steve’s mind of their friendship, of all the times they’d spent together, the moments that had made Steve feel the way he did.  The easy conversation that had flowed the first time they met, at the gym, when Steve had been short of friends and new to the city.  The way that he could always laugh with Sam, but he would always know when it was time to stop with jokes and speak honestly.  Steve remembered the way he’d felt so out of his depth in his attraction to Sam.  For the years before he moved here, he’d been in a loving, committed relationship with Peggy and had eyes for no-one else, so when he’d first found himself drawn to Sam, wanting to see more of his smile, hear his laugh, Steve hadn’t even considered it a crush.  Even when he found his eyes tracing the muscles of Sam’s arms, the way his shirt stuck to him after a workout, he dismissed it.

Three years later, Steve found his past-self ridiculous.

 _I need to have this conversation with him,_ he concluded.  He was nervous but almost relieved now that the cat was out of the bag. 

Even after Steve knew he was attracted to men, he didn’t know whether Sam would be attracted to him.  It seemed unlikely that Sam would have been attracted to him this whole time but never acted on it; Sam always seemed sure of his feelings, and open about them.  Sam was a tactile person, always patting him on the back or tapping him on the arm to emphasise a point.  Steve felt himself heat at every touch, an undercurrent of guilt accompanying it every time.

Feeling like he wasn’t gaining anything from brooding alone by himself, Steve went to leave the bar.  He could go and join his colleagues, but it was difficult to be in the mood when his head was focused on what he would say to Sam tomorrow.

He waved goodbye to his colleagues and headed out.  The soft glow of the neon sign for the bar was the only light as he left, the purple and red illuminating the drizzle as it slowly drifted down the street.  Steve felt a little homesick as he looked up and down the grey stone streets.

For a moment he just let himself gather his thoughts, feeling the light drop of water, feeling each little bit of contact it made with his skin.

He was knocked out of his revelry by footsteps.

“You were really gonna leave without saying goodbye?” Sam’s voice sounded genuinely surprised. Steve spun round.

“Sam?” He knew his voice before he saw him, but he was still shocked.  “I didn’t think you were coming back to the bar.”

“I just wanted to make sure Thor didn’t slip on any cobblestones on the way to the store.”  He walked closer to Steve, the light of the sign showing up vibrant against the depth of his eyes.  “I wanted to finish our conversation.”  Steve nodded, resigned to the fact that he was going to have to face this. 

“The way you were talking earlier – Steve, I’ve known you a long time now, I know when you’re lying, and I can tell when you’re hiding something.  Back there, you weren’t lying, but you were hiding something.  When you said you wanted someone supportive, someone funny, with a nice smile, well, this might seem a little sure of myself but I’m pretty sure it was me you were talking about.”  _It was_.  “But you also said you wanted someone who was open about their feelings, and I know I’m falling short on that so I’ve just gotta go out and say it.  I’ve been in love with you for over a year now, Steve.  I love your compassion, the way you look out for other people and always stick with what you believe in.  Spending time with you is so easy, I feel at home.”  He hesitated a moment, seemingly trying to keep his voice from wavering and mostly succeeding. “If I’ve misread things and you don’t feel the same way, I’ll cool it, we can still be friends, or not, if that’s what you want.  I’ll follow wherever you lead.”

Sam was so close now, he could see where the rain had settled on Sam’s eyelashes.  He couldn’t think of anything to say that would express what he felt, couldn’t fully explain to _himself_ how he felt, so he pulled Sam to him.

They kissed, slowly at first, Steve’s arm coming around to hold Sam to him, have the reassurance that he was really there.  The contact was electric, heated, but as new as it was, Sam felt so familiar, so close to him, that it felt like where he was meant to be. 

“I’m not going anywhere,” was all Steve could say, a little breathless.

Sam smiled, his lips only an inch from Steve’s.

“I guess you won’t be needing a wingman anymore.”

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I beam with joy at every comment, tell me what you think!!
> 
> I'm @goddessofgamma on tumblr if you want to follow me/send me prompts or just chat marvel.
> 
> Thanks The_Loony_One for asking for some Sam/Steve!


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